Related Links

Perhaps it is their persistence and strength that makes the Lobo defense dominate.

"It is pretty cut throat out there, but that is how you have to be, every time you step on that field, you have to say that I'm better, I'm faster, I'm stronger," said sophomore Elizabeth Lambert.

Or maybe the fact that Head Coach Kit Vela describes her defenders as "organized and hard." It could also be the leadership and tenacity of senior defenders Samantha Bevis and Krista Peterson. Whichever adjective you choose, this is true, the Lobo defense can shut down an offense.

In the 2007 season, the Lobo Women's Soccer team set a new school record for fewest goals allowed in a season (14). Although this record is impressive, senior defender Samantha Bevis believes this year's defense can still be better.

"We're always looking to improve, it is easier with Jorge (Vela) as a defensive coach, he is always demanding perfection from us, he is never satisfied, therefore we're never satisfied, and we're always looking to improve," said Bevis.

The team's defense however, does not simply rest on the back four.

"Our team defends with eleven, so it is not a backline, it is a back eleven, that we defend from everywhere, and as we get forward, we get forward with the backline as well," said Vela.

Although it is the entire teams' responsibility to defend the goal, the depth of the defense is quite impressive in itself.

"We have eight players all together on the team that can be interchangeable, we usually are pretty set on people who play on the outside and inside, and we need to have that, because during the game a team can throw a formation at us and we need to change for speed or strength, or actual body size," said Lambert.

Helping to lead this shut down defense are seniors Peterson and Bevis.

"Our two senior backs, they have been tremendous. Krista has been on and off the field quite a bit in her last three years, and Sami, she's very, very good, very smart, very smart center-back, and as a leader, she is tremendous," said Vela.

After this season, Bevis and Peterson will be leaving defensive positions open for
younger Lobo defenders, with only one request.

"I just want the defenders after I leave to be better than I am," said Bevis. "I want them to get better and better each year. I don't want defenders to ever be satisfied."

The Lobos will have that chance to get better and better this Friday, when they take on Drake University.